Preparing the student based on popular educational theories
When
I started to observe classrooms for my observation project. I notice that a lot
of things happen in the classroom and that teachers must do a lot to ensure
that the learner is well prepared. The three teachers I observed for this
project use a lot of different strategies and activities to teacher the learner
that are developmentally appropriate, that encompass physical, cognitive and
affective development. Each style of teaching follows a theory associated with learning
style. And each style is set up to not only teach the student the syllabus and other
lessons, but the different styles of teaching prepares the students in other
parts of human development such as brain development, social development to
make the student a better person all around.
The
first classroom teacher I observed. One
of the theories I observed was Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which has different
stages but with an actual goal and final stage as Self- Actualization. The classroom teacher was in no doubt aware of
all the different needs of his students that are part of Maslow’s Theory. To
support the student’s physiological needs, Mr. Peter whom I was observing
ensured that students had access to frequent restroom or water breaks. His
restroom pass was always available for students to take the break and at times
they did not have to ask him they just got up and grabbed the pass. These breaks
helped students regain their energy levels to sustain them during the entire class
period. Mr. Peter supported the student’s safety needs through his classroom
rules. One rule that stood out was the “no bullying” rule. This ensured that
students were safe. The teacher also monitored the students very close and made
sure that all safety rules in the classroom were being followed. He frequently
referred the students to the classroom rules when issues arose in the
classroom. Mr. Peter supported the
student’s love and belonging needs by making sure that all the students were
treated equal and treated fairly. I could tell that he cared for their wellbeing
of his students when he called on
students by names and when he supported them to find the right answer if they
got a question wrong. This also supported the student’s esteem needs in the
learning environment because the teacher’s feedbacks were positive,
affirmative, concrete and transparent and gave the student a chance to know
their specific strengths and can articulate when they’ve used them to succeed
in the classroom.
A
weeks later I went to observe another classroom teacher. This was a Health
Science class at Madison High School. The day I came to observe Coach Johnson.
The classroom was working on a group project. During group work the students
were provided an opportunity for peers to share specific positive feedback. This
teaching, the teacher expected students to perform at their best, even if they need
support. I saw first hand how Vygotsky’s Theory of Social Development played
part in the learning environment by how they were relying on each other for the
answers instead of waiting for the teacher to reach their group and answer the
questions they need to know. They were working together to find the answers to
the solutions and the students were working on getting along.
Although the students were working on
completing their work. The way they did work helped in assuring esteem needs
were met especially when the teacher praised the students on how good of a job
they were doing. Also, when they were talking among themselves; at times they
would give compliments to each other. That that the student worked on a project
where they were going around the room to research elements of extreme weather
and the effect it has on our wellbeing. They had to work in a group; one person
had to read the information. One had to record it. One had to read it. Their
social needs were being met through this exercise and indeed Vygotsky’s Theory
of Social Development was met.
The
students had more than one class period to work on the project. One time when I
returned to observe the class for a second time. I saw that students started to
strategize more with each as the due date came near. Zone proximal development
was evident when the students depended on one another to collect the needed
information and input about the project. As the due date got closer. Erikson’s Theory of Psychological Development
was also evident when different groups began to compete against the other
groups about who was getting the project better than the other and who was
getting the best information. This
competitiveness in found in stage four of the theory: Industry versus
Inferiority. Students were able to feel self-confident in their success and the
teacher was able to keep a easy going and positive learning environment which
is found in Jensen’s Brain Based learning. The teacher kept the project fair by
setting the rubric and the rules and by encouraging the groups that were
falling behind to catch up before the deadline.
Because
I mainly observed high school classes. The students I was observing were in the
formal stage of Piaget’s Theory of cognitive development. The students were
thinking in an abstract manner and they reasoned fairly about hypothetical
problems that were happening in the classroom. There were many times that
students demonstrated theoretical and abstract reasoning while accomplishing
their work. I could see this in Ms. McLain’s style of giving instruction. she
always challenged the students through her methods of checking for
understanding. By doing so she gave the students a chance to demonstrate higher
thinking and therefore better transition occurred during transition time
because the students were aware of what was happening next. Each day students were tasked with doing
different tasks of the lesson plan. Ms. McLain used various learning style.
This is when I saw other elements of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple
Intelligences. I saw the linguistic part of the theory based on the word wall Ms.
McLain had up and how she encouraged her students to use it. When the students
were working in a group. The teacher played music and allowed the students to
move around. Through this I saw the musical, spatial, bodily and intrapersonal
needs of the students being accommodated. The teacher showed videos during the
lesson. At times she asked students to use the textbook. There were many opportunities
for students to discuss the lesson with their peers by allowing the students to
do group work.
In
conclusion I witnessed these three teachers utilizing all different kind of
teaching styles and in so doing applying different educational and
psychological theories to the learning environment. As I have mentioned above I
witnessed Jensen’s Brain Based learning theory by keeping the learning
environment safe and positive. I saw Erikson’s Theory when the teacher
encouraged students to use different graph, climate cartons to explain certain
points of views all which had real life implications. Gardener’s Theory was
express all the time especially when the teachers called on different students
at different time to explain and express different aspects of the lesson. Altogether,
the three teachers I observed incorporated all the above theories and learning
styles into their lessons as a motivational strategy. In the end, each
teacher’s goal was to have their students master the lesson and that they were
successful in all aspects of development while in class.
Jeremy Jjemba
September 2018
